Stamp-cutter.



0. MULLINS. STAMP CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 25, 1913.

1,093,460. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

O. MULLINS. STAMP CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 25, 1913.

1,093,460 Patented Apr.14,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z v ammo a WWW I COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON. n. c.

OLLIE MULLINS, OF 'IERRE I-IAUTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO MILTON 'I. HUTTS AND ONE-FOURTH TO JULIAN J. URY, BOTH 0F TERRE HAU'IE, INDIANA.

STAMP-CUTTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1d, 1914.

Application filed October 25, 1913. Serial No. 797,272.

up to separate the rows or strips of stamps for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stamp cutter which may be efficiently employed for simultaneously severing strips of stamps from sheets bound in. book form, and for holding the severed strips in position and disassembled relation for removal. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stamp cutter embodying a cutting knife and means for clamping a plurality of loose or bound stamp sheets to maintain them accurately in position during the cutting action.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stamp cutter which, while particularly designed for separating revenue stamp sheets into strips forming the indi-' vidual stamps, may also be employed for separating rows or strips of stamps of any other kind which are printed in sheet form. The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which I a Figure 1 is a side elevation of a stamp cutter constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an opposite side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section 011 the line 4% of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a suitable working table or base 1, which may form the top of a box or stamp receptacle 2. At one side the table is provided with a substantially L-shaped extension, comprising a horizontal web or plate 3 and a vertical plate or web 4:, which are spaced from the table and adjacent side of the receptacle to provide a slot 5 for the guidance of a cutting knife 6 on its cutting motion. The vertical plate or web a is secured at its ends to the receptacle in any suitable manner, and the lateral extension as a whole is additionally supported by brackets 7 fastened to the adjacent side of the receptacle. These brackets have portions 8 projecting above the surface of the table and plate 3 to form stops or abutments against which one of the longitudinal edges of'a stamp sheet to be cut into strips is 'ar ranged to bear.

The cut-ting knife 6 comprises a compoundly-curved blade having a downturned forward end 9 pivotally mounted upon a pin 10 ca-rried by a bracket member 11 secured directly to the receptacle and a second bracket member 12 secured to the firstnamed bracket member, the opposite end of the lever being provided with a suitable handle 13 and arranged to move vertically within a curved and slotted guide standard 14 secured to and rising from the receptacle. The curved lower edge of the blade is so formed as to secure a gradual and progressive cutting action from front to rear of the blade as the blade is gradually forced downward, thus enabling a powerful cutting action to be obtained on the surface being cut at all stages in the cutting action of the knife.

In cutting or severing stamps printed in sheets bound together in tablet or book form, the body of superimposed sheets is laid upon the table with that portion containing the rows to be first severed projecting over upon the extension plate 3 and resting against the stops or abutments 8, the line of division between such strips and the adjacent strips of the sheets thus being brought directly below the cutting knife in line with the guide slot 5, so that on the downward motion of the knife all the coinciding marginal strips or rows of stamps resting upon the plate 3 will be severed from the body of stamps resting upon the bed or table 1. hen these marginal stamps are severed, the tablet or book is moved laterally to bring the next row of stamps over the plate 3 and in contact with the stops 7 and the knife operated to sever the same from the bed or book in like manner, this operation being continued until all the rows are severed from each other. This method may be pursued in severing sheets of stamps into individual stamp strips, as in the case of revenue stamps, or into row strips, as in the case of ordinary postage stamps, the knife hav ng a sufficiently powerful cutting action to cut through a comparatively large number of superimposed sheets at a time in a cleanly manner.

It is desirable to provide some means whereby a large number of sheets may be clamped firmly against shifting motion when the cutter is in action. To this end I provide a clamping device 14L having a suitable handle 15 and provided with slotted ends 16 vertically movable on guide pins 17 rising from the bed or table. This clamping plate may be moved downward and held firmly in engagement with the sheets along the inner margin of the guide slot 5, thus preventing the sheets from slipping or getting out of position in any manner during the progress of the cutting operation. able to provide some means whereby all the marginal support strips may be clamped at one end, to prevent them from becoming displaced or falling off the table at the completion of the cutting operation. To this end, I provide a strip clamping member 18 pivotally mounted at one end of the blade 3 upon an upwardly extending pin 19 threaded to receive a thumb nut, whereby the clamping member may be held from pivotal motion. The clamping member is provided at its free end with a handle or finger piece 21 and may normally be disposed in an inoperative position at right angles to the table, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so that the stamp sheets may be readily placed in position for a cutting action. The clamping member may then be turned so as to lie in a direction lengthwise of the plate3, as-

indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, so that it will engage and clamp the adjacent ends or stubs of the marginal strips or rows of stamps against said plate. hen such strips or rows are severed from the sheet, they will be held at one end by the clamping member, thus preventing them from falling ofi the table or becoming displaced, lost or soiled from falling on to the floor. The thumb screw enables the clamping member to be adjusted vertically relative to the surface of the table to suit the thickness of the pad or book or number of sheets to be clamped at a time. a

From the foregoing description, taken in connection'with the drawings, the construction, mode of operation and advantages of my improved stamp cutter will be readily understood, and it will be seen that a device of this kind is provided which is simple of construction, reliable and eliicient in action,

It is also desirand by means of which sheets of stamps varying in number may be readily and conveniently cut into strips.

Other advantages of the invention will be apparent without further description, by

ranged at the opposite side of the slot from the stops.

2. A stamp cutting device comprising a bed plate having a guide slot, stops at one side of said slot, a clamping memberat the same side of the slot and adjacent one'end thereof, said member being adjustable to positions parallel with and at right angles to the slot, a pivoted cutting knife movable in line with and downward through said slot, pins projecting upward from the bed plate at the opposite side of the slot, and a clamping plate slidablyengaging said pins and provided with a handle whereby clownward pressure may be exerted thereon.

3. A stamp cutter comprising a bed plate,

a support therefor, an extension at one side of the bed plate and spaced therefrom to provide a guide slot, brackets reinforcing said extension from the support and projecting above the extension to form stops, a clamping member pivotally mounted at one end of the extension for adjustment to positions parallel with or at right angles to said extension, a pivotally mounted knife movable downwardly through said slot, a clamping member mounted for vertical movement at the opposite side of the slot.

4. A stamp cutter comprising a bed plate having a guide'slot, stops at one side of said slot, a clamping member at the same side of the slot for engagement with one end of a portion of the sheet resting on the adjacent portion of the bed plate, a pivoted cutting knife movable in line with and down through said slot, and a movable clamping device arranged at the opposite side of the slot from the stops.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MR. OLLIE MULLINS.

Witnesses:

FRED E. .DAvis, WM. M. Simon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by'addressing' the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). G. 

